Epistem to Present Plucked Hair Biomarker Data at ASCO-NCI-EORTC Meeting
MANCHESTER, England --(Marketwire-October 27, 2008) - Epistem plc (LSE: EHP), the UK biotechnology and contract research company, will present results from their latest plucked hair biomarker study at the ASCO-NCI-EORTC Meeting on Molecular Markers in Cancer, Hollywood FL, United States on Friday 31st October 2008. Dr Ged Brady will present data to show that cell cycle genes, previously identified in breast tumour tissue and linked to clinical outcome in breast cancer patients, are also differentially expressed in single intact and dissected plucked hairs from healthy normal volunteers.
The study demonstrates the viability of monitoring gene expression in single human hairs to identify expression profiles relevant to tumour biology. Using a minimally invasive approach to obtain sensitive and reproducible data, the results support the case that plucked hairs are a suitable surrogate tissue for biomarker identification and analysis in clinical oncology trials.
The abstract will be available on request following the presentation (poster session C 5:30 – 7:00 pm).
For further information on the Company, please visit www.epistem.co.uk or contact:
Dr. Danielle Hargreaves +44 (0)161 606 7258
Public Relations +44 (0) 7920 815603
Epistem plc. info@epistem.co.uk
Mike Wort / Anna Dunphy +44 (0) 207 861 3838
Financial PR/IR
De Facto Communications
Notes to Editors:
About Epistem
Epistem is a biotechnology company commercialising its expertise in epithelial stem cells in the areas of oncology, gastrointestinal diseases and dermatological applications. Epistem develops innovative therapeutics and biomarkers and provides contract research services to drug development companies. The Group’s expertise is focused on the regulation of adult stem cells located in epithelial tissue, which includes the gastrointestinal tract, skin, hair follicles, breast and prostate. Epistem does not conduct research in the areas of embryonic stem cells or stem cell transplantation.
Epistem operates three distinct business divisions, Contract Research Services, Novel Therapies and Biomarkers.
Biomarkers
The Biomarker division provides services to drug development companies using its plucked hair biomarker technology. The Company’s knowledge of epithelial cell behaviour and drug-induced gene expression change is used to measure drug effects during treatment. Changes in gene expression can be detected within hours and at low levels of chemotherapy or radiation. The highly sensitive Biomarker technology is based on using mRNA extracted from the bulb of cells at the base of a single hair follicle as a minimally invasive process to measure gene expression changes in epithelial tissue.
Posted: October 2008
